heritage
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the traditions, languages, and historical buildings that belong to a culture and are passed down to new generations.
the collective body of traditions, monuments, and cultural achievements inherited from past generations. Uncountable in this abstract sense.
Simple“The city is proud of its rich musical heritage and has many famous concert halls.”
In context“Preserving the nation's architectural heritage requires a delicate balance between modern urban development and the restoration of historical landmarks.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
your family's history, including where they came from and their ethnic background.
the ethnic, linguistic, or social background of a person's ancestors. Often used as a modifier in phrases like 'heritage speaker'.
Simple“She is of Italian heritage and grew up speaking both English and Italian at home.”
In context“The university offers specialized courses for heritage learners who have a high level of oral proficiency but limited formal training in their family's native language.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
property or money that is passed down to you when someone dies.
property, assets, or status that may be inherited by legal right or succession.
Simple“The old estate was part of his family heritage, passed down for three centuries.”
In context“The legal dispute centered on whether the ancestral lands constituted a part of the indivisible heritage of the firstborn son.”
Synonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
used to describe older types of plants or animals that are not used in modern industrial farming.
denoting traditional varieties of seeds, plants, or animal breeds that were common before the advent of industrial agriculture. Used attributively.
Simple“The farmer grows heritage tomatoes because they have much more flavor than supermarket ones.”
In context“The conservation project aims to protect heritage breeds of sheep that are better adapted to the local climate than modern commercial varieties.”
UsageUsually sits before the noun it describes.
SynonymsAntonyms
Usage heritage site · heritage sites
“Codona, who has Gypsy and travelling showman heritage, recalls that travellers would acquire land in "covert" ways.”
“In Deepa Anappara’s ambitious, multilayered The Last of Earth , Victorian adventurer Katherine hopes her journey into the forbidden kingdom of Tibet will help her overcome difficult feelings about her heritage.”
From Middle English heritage, from Old French eritage, heritage (modern French héritage), ultimately derived (through suffixation) from Latin hērēs. By surface analysis, herit + -age.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.